Shank piece and method of making shoes



Aug. l, 1933. J. B. HADAWAY Ll920,383

SHANK PIECE AND METHOD OF MAKING SHOES Original Filed April 26. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig. 6.

ug. l, 1933. B HADAWAY L92083 SHANK PIECE AND METHOD OF MAKING SHOES Orignal Filed April 26, 1930 2 'Sheets-Sheet 2 24 Hg'. 9. E D

i @o 5o Fl' la 50 F13 ll g 50 eo Tigl] 3. 558

Munn] m m m m m un m UME Patented Aug. 1, 1933 Nm-1D.

PATENT oFFicE g simian. PIECE/AND" METHOD oF-MAKi'NG j r y sirops 1 u 39 claims. (ci. sis-Jie) rThis invention relates-to improved methods of shoemaking and to improvements in shoesland shank pieces therefor. The invention is herein illustrated as concerned with a method of producing a so-called close shank in a shoe'and as embodied in ajshank piece of novel construction adapted to facilitate the production and maintenance of what is known as a close shank and in a shoe having such a shank piece incorporated therein. While herein illustrated with reference to welt shoes, the invention, in certain aspects, may be applicable also to the manufacture of other types of shoes. Y l

In many styles of shoes it is desirable to have the projecting margins ofthe sole lie close to the upper along the shank portion ofthe shoev so that the crease between theupper and the sole f is substantially closed and a close shank is pro-y duced. For -various reasons, however, it is diff cult to produce and retain permanently this close shank effect. v

welt and outsole may havebeen laid against the upper in the sole laying operation, when, the out-`r sole is subsequently being stitched to the welt` along the shank portion of the shoe the. outer margins of the welt and sole lare necessarily held away from the upper, by the sewing table which enters the Welt crease, so that the awl and the needle may enter the welt from the side facing the upper, and consequently when the stitching has been completed the welt'remains spaced away from the upper at the shank aswell as around the forepart of the shoe. Thereafter the welt is'v brought into Contact with the upper, so as -to close rial, due to the strains referred to, tends to cause the outsole ultimately to return 'to approximately i its initial unstrained condition, with l the result that the Welt is pulled away from the upper, thus opening up the welt crease so that the desired For example, in the manufacture of welt shoes.,` no matter how closely the the outer face of the projecting sole margin, thus tending tortension the outer portion of 'theoutsole and to resist any attempt to close up the weltcrease. When the weltcrease is closed by molding or other pressure-applying operations the tension exerted by the stitches is increased and tends to reopen the crease ai'ter the; pressure on the sole has been relieved. For this'and other reasons there has often been no assurance here` tofoi'ey that a close shank eiect or a close fitting sole margin, even ifV satisfactorily produced in a shoe, `would remain therein throughout the life of the shoe.

in viewof the foregoing, it is one object of the present invention to secure and permanently to maintain a close fitting sole margin in a shoe.

With this object in view, thepres'ent invention. provides an improved method of making shoes with closeiitting sole margins which, in one aspect, ,consists in producing and temporarily supporting an abnormal bulge or fullness in a shoe soleand thereafter, by the application of pressure to the sole and to the bulge-supporting means,` pressing the solemargins into close tting relation to the shoe upper and rendering the bulge-supporting means ineffective to support the bulge, at the Sametime depressing the bulge thereby `eL-ipanding the sole edgewise to eliminate any 'tendency of the sole margins subsequently to pull away from the upper.

The depression or flattening out of the bulge in the sole results in widening 'the sole 'so that the pressing of the sole margins toward the' shoe upper to close the welt crease .may be effected without setting up strains in the sole. Thus, the L outer surface of the sole is not tensioned,` as would be the case if no provision were made for widening the sole as above described, andl consequently, after the sole margins have been pressed toward the upper there is no surface tension on the sole tending to pull the sole margins away from the upper. Moreover, the widening of the sole resulting from the flattening outof the bulge therein also results in straightening or repositioning the outsealn stitches to such an extent that they become disposed in a more nearlyperpendicular relation to the surface of the sole, thus relieving any tension which may previously have been exerted by the stitches tending to displace the sole margins from engagement with the upper. Accordingly, the sole margins are maintained in the desired close ntf ting relation to the upper throughout the life of the shoe. v

As shown, the bulge in the sole is conned to the shank portion of the sole and the homere-- silient member hereinbefore referred to as maintaining the bulge in the sole prior toand during the attachment oi the sole to the shoe consists oi a shank piece of novel construction which is adapted to collapse` under heavy pressure and which remains permanently in the shoe and performs the func of a shank piece such as that customarily employed tostiffen and reinforce the shank portion of shoe.l herein illustrated, in theV application of the present method to the manufacture of welt shoes, the shank piece is placed upon the insole of a lasted shoe inside of the sewing rib. The outsole is then laid in place and the bulge in the outsole e or" the sole laying pad, such pressure being insu'hlcient, however, to collapse the piece.` Thereafter the outsole is stitched to the welt and the sole is leveled in the usual the pressure applied during theleveling `operation'being sufficient to collapse 'the shank piece and depress or flatten out the bulge in the outsole -ell as to lay the sole `margins in close vfitting relation to the upper. n

Regarded in another aspect, the invention further consists in the provision, for use in the manufacture oi' shoes, of a shank piece oi' sul.- stantial thickness rdapt'cd 'to afford temporary support for an abnormal-upward bulge or `fullness in the shank portion of the tread sole of a shoe and comprising a non-resilient member capable of being su'liciently reduced in thickness by the application of pressure to the bulged portion of the sole piece;

to permit the elimination or" the bulge. Vlhile the 'support for thebulged portion of thel sole has just been referred to as a sha-nir piece, was found convenient to employ that terni merely because the support is to be located in the shankl portion of a shoe and it is to be understood that the support need not necessarily be a shank piece or shank stiener ci the type. customarily employed to stillen or reinforce the shoe. The

illustrated shank piece, howevends have the usual characteristics adapting it to stillen and reinforce the portion or the shoe in which it is incorporated. Moreover', the illustrated shank piece is of composite construction comprising` members initially spaced apart but adapted to `port' them in such a way as positively to assist in permanently maintaining a close edge effect at the shank of the shoe.

The invention will lained with reference to the accompanying di s, in which Fig. l is a top plan view of sh bodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottoni plan view oi the shank Fig. piece;

Fig. 4 is a sectional, IV-IV of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional View .lnilar to Fig. 3 but showing the shank as it appears after being collapsed;

3 is a view, in side elevation, 0i the shank View taken along the line nl; piece em- Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line `VI---VI of Fie. 5;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a welt shoe ln the process of manufacture, the shoe having incorporated therein a collapsible shank piece of the ltype shownin Figs. 1 to 6, and the shank piece being shown in nonwcollapsed condition;

i Fig. Sis a cross-sectional view of the shoe showing it as it appears after the outsole has been stitched to the welt;

Fig. Bis a cross-sectional view of the shoe as it appears after l,the outsole has been leveled and the shank piece has been collapsed by the leveling pressure; Y

Fig. 10 is a. top plan View of an alternative form of shank piece;

Y Fig. 11 is a side elevational view of the shank piece shownin Vig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a longitudinal sectional View of the shank piece shown in Fig. l0;

Fig. 13 isa bottom plan View of the shank piece shown in Fig. 10; i

Fig. 14 is a sectional view taken along the line XIV-XIV of Fig. 11;

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 12 but showing the shank piece as it appearsaiter being co1 lapsed;

Fig. 16 isa View, partially in elevation and partially in section, showing a still further modied form of shank piece; and

Fig. 17 is a section on the line XVII- XVII of Fig. 16.

Referring first to Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings, the upper materials of a welt shoe are indicated i at A, the insole at B, the welt at C, the outsole at D, the shank piece at E, and the last upon which the shoe is made at F. In accordance with the present method as illustrated in Fig. 7, an abnormal upward bulge X is initially formed in the shank portion of the outsole D by means of the shank piece E which, for this purpose, is made of abnormal thickness and of sul'hcient strength to support the bulge in the sole against the action ofiany pressure applied to the sole during the manufacture of the shoe up to the time of the sole leveling operation, and incre particularly to support the bulge against the pressure applied thereto `during the sole laying operation. The strength of the'shank piece E, however, is not sufficient to withstand the pressure applied thereto during the sole leveling operation which takes place after the sole hasbeen stitched to the welt, and consequently, as shown in Fig. 9, the shank piece is collapsed by the action .of the leveling means and the upward bulge in the sole is depressed. f As a result the shank portion of the sole is widened so that the marginal portions thereofz are pressed into close engagement with the upper without, however, causing any transverse strains being set up in the sole. Inasmuch, therefore, as the sole is not tensioned ortransversely strained there will be no tendency, when portions of the sole to pull away from the upper so as to open up the welt crease.

Furthermore, as a result of the widening and transverse bending or molding of the shank portion of the sole during theleveling operation, the portions of the outseam stitches which extend through the outsole become more or less straightened or repositioned to such an extent that they no longer exert any substantial tension tending toopen up the welt crease.

Before describing the method in further detail the particular form of shank piece shown in Figs.

'7, 8 and 9 will be described. This shank piece, as shown in detail inFigs. l to 8, inclusive, of the drawings is of composite construction comprising a filler piece 2G, a resilient stiffening strip 22, and an initially expanded, collapsible member 24, each of these parts being arched longitudinally to correspond tothe longitudinal arch of the bottom of a last for a shoe in which the shank piece is to b e incorporated. The filler piece 20, which may be composed of leather, leatherboard or other suitable material, is molded as shown to provide a desired longitudinally arched and transversely convex formation adapting the body of the filler piece to fit the shank portion of the shoe bottom. The molding operation also provides a iiatportion 26 at the forward extremity of the ller piece for engaging the outsole, and a clearly defined ridge 2S between the flat portion 26 and the arched portion of the filler piece. Moreover, the filler piece has a marginalcontour adapting it to iit'closely between the opposite stretches of the sewing rib along the shank portion of the shoe bottom. The stirfening strip 22 is made of tempered steel to provide adequate resilient support for the longitudinal arch of the shank portion of a shoe. The strip 22 is secured to the insole-facing side of the filler piece 20 by means of tacks 30 (Fig. l).

The collapsible member 24 of the shanky piece consists of a strip of untempered metal one end of which is xedly secured to the forward portion o'f the filler` piece 20 by means of a rivet or eyelet 32, while the opposite end of the strip is secured to the rear portion ofv the filler piece by a rivet or eyelet 34, the latter projecting through a slot 36 (Fig. 2) in the member 24. The opposite ends of the member 24 are offset from the curve of the body portion thereof, as shown at 38 in Fig. 3, to enable them to engage the filler piece 20, and assist in maintaining the body `of the collapsible vmember spaced a substantial distance awayfrom` the ller piece. To hold the body portion' of the collapsible member 24 in spaced relation to the filler piece throughout the sole laying, rounding and stitching operations, the member 24 is further provided with a series of fingers 40 which project from the opposite longitudinal edges of the member. As shown in Fig. 4, the body portion of the collapsible member 24,'between the offset ends thereof, is transversely arched and the fingers 4() are curved to correspond to the transversev curve or arch of the filler piece 20 and the stiffening strip 22. The tips of the fingers 40 bear against the filler piece and each finger tip is curved backwardly to facilitate sliding outwardly over the surface of the filler piece during the collapse or flattening out of the member 24. The fingers 40 are of' different lengths and are so arranged that the tip of each finger engages the filler piece at the same distance from the adjacent edge thereof, thus insuring that, upon collapse of the shank piece, each finger 40 will project to the same extent beyond the edge of the iller piece to overlie and support the inseamed portions'of the shoe bottom.

In using the above-described shank piece E in the manufacture of welt shoes the shank piece, in its non-collapsed condition, is laid upon the insole between the portions of the inseam at the opposite sides of the shoe after the upper materials and the welt have been inseamed to the insole. The outsole D isthen laid by means of the yielding sole laying pad G (Fig..7), after which the outsole is securedto the welt by the outseam stitches H, .as indicated .in Fig. `8. Up

lapsed or attened out thereby. However, when the shoe sole is acted upon by the leveling roll J the pressure applied by that `roll is suiiicient to collapse the shank piece and depress or flatten the transverse bulge in the sole.

Before the sole is leveled, the outseam stitches l-l slant inwardly from the upper or exposed surface ofthe welt` tothe stitch-receiving groove I in the'outsole, as shownin Fig. 8. In other words the stitches ll-I extend diagonally through the outsole at an acute angle to the outer face of the projecting solefmargin as shown in Fig. 8, such a disposition of the stitches being usually along the shank portions of welt shoes. Moreover, as also shown in Fig. 7, the outer margins of the Welt and outsole are initially spaced a substantial distance away from the adjacent portion of the upper;` and the tension of the outsole stitches I tends to resist any attempt to close the gap between the welt and thev upper. When the outsole is subsequently leveled, `however-the pressure applied by the leveling roll J not only fiattensy and widens 'the sole and presses the sole margins closely against the upper but it also substantially increases the distance between the portions of the outseam stitches which lie in the channel or groove in the outsole withthe result that the stitches thereafter extend through the sole and welt more nearly at right angles to the surface of the sole. After being thus straightened the stitches no longer exert tension such as would tend to pull the margins of the outsol and welt away from the upper.

It will also appear, from an'examination of Fig. 9, that the attening out of the collapsible member 24 of the shank piece has widened that member to such an4 extent that the fingers 40, instead of lying entirely within the space between the inseamed portions of the shoe, now engage and overlapfthese inseamed portions in sucha manner as to press them against the last while the latter remains within the shoe and thereiis after to provide a rm and permanent support for the. inseamed materials at opposite sidesof the shank portion lof the shoe bottom.

In the embodiment ofthe invention illustrated in Figspl() to l5, inclusive, of the drawings, there is shown acollapsible shank stiffener composed of two members 50 and 52. The member 50 consists of merely 4an elongated metallic strip having the usual longitudinal curvature for conforming tothe longitudinal arch of the shoe in which it is to be incorporated. The member 52 consists of a metallic strip comprising a body portion curved lengthwise to kcorrespond to the length-` wise curvature of thestrip 50 and having a plu-A rality of fingers 54 struck up therefrom in spacedapart relation lengthwise of the strip for holding the body portion of the strip 52 spaced a substantial distance away from the strip 50. The opposite end portions of the strip 52 are offset4 in the direction toward which the ngers 54 extend, thus providing end portions 56 which are secured by means of rivets 58 to the strip 50. AsV shown, one of the rivets 58- extends through an elongated slot 60 in the strip 52 arranged to permit longitudinal lengthwise movement ofthe strip r52 reltion of the lingers 54 is such as to facilitate the collapse of the stiifener during the beginning of the leveling operation upon the shank portion of the sole, it being customary for the leveling yroll to move rst along the shank in the general `direction of the inclination of the fingers.k

in Figs. 16 and 17 the `invention is shown as embodied in a further modiiied form comprising an elongated longitudinally arched stifener strip anda vcollapsible member '72 whichis riveted at its ends to the strip '70 in the same manner as that heretofore described in connection with the shank piece shown in Figs. 10` to 15. The collapsible member 72, however, instead of being provided with onset lingers for maintaining it spaced away from the stiffener strip, has its middle portion transversely arched, as indicated at 74, to engage the middle portion of the strip v'l0 and initially to hold the greater part of the member '72 away from the strip'IO. The construction is such, however, that while the member '72 will withstand the pressure of the sole laying pad it will notwithstandthe pressure of the leveling roll but will be flattened out against the strip 70 by the sole leveling pressure.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new randdesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: l

1. That improvement in methods `of making shoes withclose ttin'g sole margins which consists in maintaining, prior to and during the attachment of a sole to a shoe, an abnormal outward bulge inthe sole by utilizing at the inner side of the sole a non-resilienty member adapated to retain its shape under a limited amount of pressure but capable of being materially reduced in v thickness by the application of aI greater amount of pressure and, after the sole has been attached to the shoe, widening the sole by' depressing said bulge and thus eliminating any tendency of the sole margins to pull away from the `upper of the shoe. s g 2. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close Shanks which consists in positioning beneath the tread sole of a shoea shank member adapted to retain its shape under a limited amount of pressure but capable of being materially reduced in thickness by a greateramount of pressure, applying a limited amount of pressure to the tread sole to produce an abnormal outward bulge in the sole between the lateral margins thereof, pressing the margins of the shank portion of the sole .into closettingv relation to the upper of the shoe, and applying sufficient .pressure to the tread sole to reduce the thickness of said shank member and to reduce thevheight of the bulge in the sole, thereby reducing any tendencfy ofthe sole margins to pull away from the upper. v -1 l 3. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close Shanks which consists in producing an abnormal outward bulge `or fullness at the shank portion of the tread sole of a shoe, before the sole is stitched to the shoe, by the use beneath the tread sole of a member adapted to remain permanently in the shoe and capable of being materially reduced in thickness by pressure, attachingthe tread sole to the shoe by lines vthe shank portion of the sole, and thereafter applying pressure to the sole to press the margins of the shank portion of the sole toward the upper of the shoe and also to reduce the thickness of said member and depress the bulge in the sole, thereby increasing the distance between said lines of stitching to eliminate any tendency of the sole margins to pull away from the upper.

4. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close shanks which includes applying to a lasted shoe a collapsible shank piece, laying an outsole over said member with a pressure sui-licient properly to lay the sole but insurcient to collapse `the shank piece, attaching the outsole permanently to the shoe by stitching, and then applying to the shank portion of the shoe pressure suincient to collapse the shank piece and cause the shank portion of the outsole to be extended laterally to assist in obtaining a close relation between the sole and upper at the shank of the shoe.

5. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close shanks which includes applying to a lasted shoe a yielding non-resilient shank member to support the centralV portion of the shank of an outsole, laying the outsole with cement over said member with a pressure suficient properly to lay the sole but insuilcient to compress the shank member, attaching the outsole permanently to the shoe by stitching, and then applying to the shank portion of the shoe leveling `pressure suflicient `to compress the shank member thereby causing the shank portion of the outsole previously supported by the shank member to be extended laterally and to force the sole margin into close relation to the upper at the shank oi the shoe.

6. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close shanks which includesapplying to a lasted shoe a collapsible shank member capable of sustaining sole laying pressure and incapable of sustaining sole leveling pressure, laying the sole with cement over` said member, attaching the sole to the shoe by stitching, applying to the shank portion of the shoe leveling pressure suicient to collapse' the shank member so that the shank portion of the sole is extended latbefore the tread sole has been laid thereon, a

member adapted to remain permanently in the shoe and capable of Abeing materially reduced in thickness by pressure, utilizing a sole-laying pad to lay an outsole upon the shoe and to co-operate with said device to produce an abnormal outward bulge or fullness between the marginal portions of the sole at the shank of the shoe, stitching the tread sole to the shoe, and thereafter leveling the tread sole and utilizing the pressure of the leveling means to press the margins of the shank portion of the tread sole toward the upper of the shoe and also to reduce the' thickness of said mem-- ber and depress the bulged portion of the tread sole, thereby eliminating any tendency of the sole margins subsequently to pull away from the upper. 4

8.- That improvement in methods of making welt shoes which consists in inseaming` a welt and isi an upper to the rib of aninsole', laying upon the insole, inside of the sewing rib,-a shank'piece 4capable of being widenedk to a substantial extent by pressure, laying an outsole Iand stitching it to the Welt, and subsequently vapplying pressure tothe outsole to widen the shank piece to cause the 4latter to overlie and provide support for the inseamed portions of the shoe.

9. That improvement inmethods -of making shoes with close shanks which consists in producing an abnormal outward bulge in the tread sole of a shoe by the employment at the inner side of the sole of acollapsible shank piece adapted to retain its shape under a limited amount of pressure but capable of being collapsed and widened by a greater amount ofpressure, stitching the outsole to the shoe, and thereafter pressing the lateral margins of the outsole into close fitting relation to the upper and applying pressure to the outsole to increase the width ofthe shank piece, causing it to overlie and aiord support for the inseamed portions of the shoe and also to depress thebulge in the sole andthereby to eliminate any tendency of ther sole margins subsequently topull away from the upper. 10. That improvementfin methods ofmaking shoes having close Jfitting sole` margins which consists inrproducing and temporarily supporting an abnormal bulge in a shoe s'ole, and thereafter, by the application of pressure to the ysole'and tothe bulge-supporting means, pressingthe sole margins into close iittng relation. to thev shoe upper and rendering the bulge-supporting means ineffective to lsupport the bulge, at the same time depressing the bulge thereby expanding the sole edgewise to eliminate any tendency of the sole margins subsequently to pull away from the upper- 11. That improvement in'methods of making shoes having close fitting sole margins which consists in producing a bulge in ay shoe solve, supporting said bulge in a manner tovv resist an amount of pressure greater than the rstof twoy operations subsequently to be 'performed upon the sole in theprocess of vcompleting, the shoebut less' than the second of said operations, and thereafter, during' the performance of said second operation and while the sole is free to expand edgef wise, pressing the sole margins into close fitting relation to the shoeupper and depressing said bulge, thereby expanding -the sole edgewise to eliminate any tendency ofthe sole marginsA subsequently topull away'from the shoe upper.

A12. That improvement in methods "of making vslices having close tting sole'margins which consists in producing an outward bulge ina shoe sole yand rsupporting said bulge by a vcollapsible member adapted to resist pressure ofiany operation upon the sole prior` to leveling, and thereafter leveling the sole of the shoe and. thereby pressing the sole margins into closettingrelation to the kupper and collapsing said member and at ,the

same time depressing saidv bulge` and widening the sole to eliminate a'ny tendency' of the 'sole marginsV to pull awayv from the upper after the leveling pressure has been relieved.

13. A shank piece of` substantial thickness adapted temporarily to ,support an abnormal outward bulge in the shankportion of the tread sole lof a shoe and comprising a non-resilient member capable of beingsuliciently .reduced `in thickness by the application L of. pressure to the bulged portionof the tread sole to permit elimination ofthe bulge.

14. A shank piece comprising a stii'fener strip,

and a non-resilient member secured to the stiffener strip and adapted temporarily to support a substantial outward bulge in the shank portion of the tread sole of a shoe and capable of being sufficiently reduced-in thickness by the application of pressure to the bulged portion of the tread sole to permit elimination of the bulge.

15. A composite shank piece comprising an expanded strip oi untempered metal adapted to be collapsed by the application of pressure thereto, and a stiffener strip of tempered metal secured to said expanded strip, said stilener strip being longitudinally curved to provide support for the longitudinal arch of the shank portion of a shoe.

16.` For use in the manufacture of shoes, a collapsible shank piece comprising members initially spaced apart and comprising a non-resilient member adapted to be permanently repositioned in closer relation to the other member upon application of a predetermined amount of pressure applied during the manufacture of a shoe in which the shank stirfener is incorporated.

17. For use in the manufacture of shoes having inner and outer soles, a collapsible shank stiffener comprising an insole engaging member, an outsole engaging member, and means located between the said members Anormally operative to maintain their intermarginal portions in spaced relation but capable of collapsingunder pressure to diminish-the space between said members;

18. A collapsible shank piece comprising alongitudinally arched strip having a portion oiset from the curve of the arch to `hold the body portion of the strip initially spaced a substantial distance from the insole of a shoe in which the shank piece is to be incorporated, said offset por/tion being non-resilient and constructed and arranged to yield under the application of a predetermined amount of pressureapplied during the manufac- `ture of the shoe to enable the body portion of the strip to be pressed into and permanently to retain 'a positionA closer to the insole of the shoe.

yis to be incorporated, rthe onset end portions being adapted to yieldunder the application of a predetermined amount oi pressure applied during the manufacture 'of the shoe to permit the body portion of the strip to approach more closely the insole of` the shoe.

`20. A\ collapsible shank piece comprising a stiffener member, and an initially expanded member capable of collapsing under pressure applied during the manufacture of a shoe in which the shank piece'is incorporated, said expanded member being transversely arched and initially arranged with its lateral edge portions bearing against said stirfener member.

21. A collapsible shank piece comprising a longitudinally arched strip having a series of iingers spaced apart lengthwise of the strip 4and offset from the longitudinally convex side of the strip for holding the strip initially spaced'from the insole of a shoe, said fingers being collapsible under pressure .to enable the said strip to. approach more closely to the insole.

22. A collapsible shank piece comprising a longitudinally arched strip having a series of permit collapse of the shank piece.`

insole ci a shoe in which the shank piece is incorporated but beinglcapable of flattening out under pressure to permitcollapse theshank piece. i i

23. A, collapsible shank `piece comprising a` longitudinally arched strip having a series of fingers projecting beyond each lateral edge of the strip for holding the strip initially spaced. from the insole of a `shoe in which the insole is incorporated, the strip being `transversely arched and saidrlngers being `curved to continue the curvature of the transverse arch of the strip.

l struction comprising a longitudinally arched stiffener strip, and a second longitudinally arched strip having non-resilient end portions secured to the stillener strip, said end portions being `offy set from the curve of the body portion of the second strip to hold the latter awayfrom the stifiener strip, and being capable of yielding to permit thebody portion ofthe second strip to be moved into engagement with the rst strip.

l,26. A collapsible shank piece of compositeconstructionY comprising a longitudinally arched stiifener lstrip, a second longitudinally arched strip of 'untemperedmetal,` having end portions offset from the curve of the body portion of the second strip forholding the latter away from the stifiener strip, said end portions being capable .of yielding to enable the shank pieceto collapse,"-

and means for securing said end portions to the stifienerstripy said means being constructed and filler piece having a marginal contour shaped to arranged to permit relative lengthwise movement of said strips to facilitatecollapse of the shank piece. i

,27, Acollapsible shank piece of composite corrstruction comprising a longitudinally arched stiiiener strip, a second longitudinally arched strip of non-resilient material having end portions oiiset from the curve of thebody portion of the second strip for holding the latter `away from the stiiener strip, said endportions being capable of yielding to enable the shank piece to collapse, means for ixedly` securing one` of ,said end portions tothe stiifener strip, and means providing a pin-and--slot connection `between the other oi said end portions and the stiifener strip adapted to permit lengthwsemovement of 4the second strip relatively to the stiiener strip upon collapse of the shank piece.

28. A collapsible shank piece of composite construction `,comprising a longitudinally arched stiffener strip, a second strip arched to corre-` spond to the arch of the first strip, and nonresilient means for holding said strips initially in spacedirelation, said means being yieldable to 29. A collapsible shank piece comprising alongitudinally arched strip, a second strip curved to correspond to the arch of the first strip, and means on the second strip arranged to engage the first strip and to hold the second strip spaced' a substantial distance therefrom until the applicationof an excessive amount of pressure to the second strip.

30. A collapsible shank piece comprising a lon-- gitudinally arched strip, a second strip curved to correspond to the arch of the iirst `strip and having offset end portions for holding the second strip in spaced relation to the first strip and thus maintaining the shank piece in expanded condition,-and means for securing saidend portions to the .first strip constructed and arranged to permit relative longitudinalmovement of the strips to facilitate collapse of the shank piece.

131. A collapsible shank piece comprising a filler piece, a stiilener strip secured to one side of the filler piece, and a collapsible member secured to the other side of the filler piece and having` yieldable means thereon for initially holding saidmember spaced from the filler piece and thus maintaining the shank piecein expanded condition. v

32, A collapsible Yshank piececomprising a filler piece having a marginal contour shaped to correspond Vto that of the inseamed portions at the shank of a shoe, a collapsible member secured to one side ofthe filler piece, and a plurality -of fingers on the collapsible member oifset toward the filler piece and engaging the latter to hold said members initially spaced therefrom and thus tovmaintain the shank piece initially in expanded condition.

33. A collapsible shank piece comprising a filler piece having a marginal contour shaped to correspond to that of the inseamed portions at the shank of a shoe, a collapsible member having offset end portions secured to the filler piece 110 constructed and arranged `to support the collapsible member in spaced relation to the filler piece, and a plurality of fingers projecting from the opposite lateral edges of the collapsible memberand offset to engage the filler piece and assist in maintaining spaced relation between the filler piece and the collapsible member.

`34; A collapsible shankl piece comprising a correspond to that of the inseamed portions at the,` shank of a shoe, a collapsible member having oilset end portions secured to the filler piece constructed and arranged to support the collapsible member in spacedwrelation to the filler said fingers being curved to continue the curve i of the transverse arch of the collapsible member.

. 35. A collapsible shank piece comprising a filler piece having a marginal contour shaped to correspond to that ofthe inseamed portions at the shank of a shoe, a collapsible member having offset end portions secured to the ller piece and constructed and arranged to support the collapsible member in spacedrelation to the filler piece, and a plurality of fingers projecting from the opposite lateral edges of thecollapsible mem ber and oiset to engage the filler piece and assist in maintainingtspaced relation between the filler piece and the collapsible member, said ngers `being of different lengths and arrangedA to engage points on the filler piece spaced equal distances from the margin thereof.

35. A `collapsible shank piece comprising a ller piece'having a marginalgcontour shaped to correspond to that of the inseamed portions at the shank of a shoe, a collapsible member `having offset end portions secured to the nller piece and constructed and arranged to support the collapsible member in spaced relationto the filler piece, and a plurality of fingers projecting from the opposite lateral edges of the collapsible member and offset to engage "the 'lller piece and assist in maintaining spaced relation between the filler piece and the collapsible member, said n gers being of different lengths and arranged Yto engage points on the iiller piece spaced equal distances from the margin thereoi` and the ends of said ngers being curvedbackwardly from the ller piece to facilitate sliding 'of said iingers over the surface of the filler piece during the collapsing of the shank piece.

37. n a Welt shoe having a closed welt crease `at the shank portion of the shoe, a shank piece shoes having close fitting sole margins which consists in assembling an upper, a tread sole and a shank stiffening member and utilizing the latter to produce an abnormal outward bulge in said sole so as temporarily to decrease the width of the shank portion of the sole, securing the tread sole to the upper, and thereafter pressing marginal portions of the sole into close fitting relation to the upper, rendering said member ineffective to support said bulge while still remaining eiiiective to stiffen the shank portion of the sole, and depressing the bulge in the sole to Widen the sole and thus to reduce any tendency of the sole margins to pull away from the upper after the pressure against the sole margins has been relieved.

39. That improvement in methods of making shoes having close tting sole margins which consists in producing a bulge in a shoe sole, supporting the bulge in a manner to resist the pressure of any operation upon the sole prior to leveling, and thereafter leveling the sole of the shoe and thereby compressing the sole margins into close tting relation to the upper and depressing the bulge to widen the sole andpeliminate any tendency of the sole margins to pull away from the upper after the leveling pressure has been relieved.

JOHN B. HADAWAY. 

